Tapering shoe comb



Aug. 23, 1966 J. CORDOVA TAPERING SHOE COMB Filed Oct. 15, 1965 JAMES C ORDOl/A INVENTOR M A TTORNEVS United States Patent 3,267,572 TAPERING SHOE COMB James Cordova, 242 N. E St., Tulare, Calif. Filed Oct. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 316,367 6 Claims. c1. s0 201 This invention relates to a tapering shoe comb adapted for use in detachable connection with a hair clipper and provides adjustable positioning of the comb to permit hair cutting at various selective lengths, as well as an automatic tapering action in selected positions of adjustment.

Many persons engaged in the cutting and styling of hair employ a detachable shoe comb in combination with a conventional hair clipper. Both the professional, as well as the family, or home barber, use some sort of detachable shoe comb in cutting certain short-cropped hair styles for men, such as those popularly referred to as crew-cut, butch, and the like. The function of such shoe combs is to provide a depth gauge so as to space the cutting teeth of the hair clipper a predetermined distance above the scalp of the patron. Since various hair styles require respectively different lengths of hair, a barber must necessarily maintain a supply of several detachable shoe combs having teeth of a selected vertical height, or depth, to result in the desired length of hair when used With the clipper.

The general construction of such detachable shoe combs is one providing a central support body member having a plurality of transversely spaced, forwardly extended teeth, which are upwardly reversely bent in a configuration so as to receive the cutting head of a hair clipper. The material from which such shoe combs are constructed is generally a light plastic material, which is normally I prone to distortion when subjected to minor mechanical stresses. Accordingly, one problem experienced with the use of such plastic shoe combs is that of longitudinal misalignment of the respective teeth of the shoe comb and the stationary teeth of the clipper cutting head. This results in a blocking of some of the openings between the cutting teeth of the clipper, which reduces its efficiency, and frequently produces an uneven appearance to the finished hair style.

In addition to the operational shortcomings of such removable plastic shoe combs, the barber must necessarily remove such a shoe comb to permit normal operation of the clipper while cutting hair in a tapered style, as is customarily performed at the back of the neck and sideburns of male patrons. In addition, such detachable shoe combs do not provide a conventional hair clipper with a device permitting automatic tapered cutting of hair. Therefore, unless the operator has a high degree of skill and extensive experience, non-uniform and generally unsatisfactory results are obtained.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tapering shoe comb adapted for detachable connection to a conventional hair clipper permitting a plurality of positions of adjustment to accommodate a wide range of selected lengths of hair.

Another object is to provide a tapered shoe comb for a hair clipper which can be effectively used by both professional and amateur barbers.

Another object is to provide an adjustable tapering shoe comb for use with a hair clipper and having a positive locking means to maintain the shoe comb in a selected position of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tapering shoe comb which can be employed in selected positions of adjustment and also be retained on a hair clipper in a position permitting normal use thereof.

A still further object is to provide a tapering shoe comb "ice adapted for use in detachable connection with a hair clipper and providing a position affording an automatic tapering action during use.

These, together with other objects, will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a hair clipper on which is detachably mounted a tapering shoe comb embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the tapering shoe comb and clipper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 showing the clipper in an upright position of conventional use and the tapering shoe comb in an extreme forward position of adjustment longitudinally of the stationary comb plate of the clipper.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the tapering shoe comb in an extreme rearward position of adjustment longitudinally of the stationary comb plate of the clipper.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 3, but shows the tapering shoe comb in a position affording automatic tapering of the hair during use of the clipper.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the tapering shoe comb of FIG. 1 shown in a position detached from the clipper.

FIG. 7 is a view in vertical, transverse section taken on line 77 of FIG. 6, the clipper being shown fragmentarily in dashed lines.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one form of the locking means employed in the tapering shoe comb of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the tapering shoe comb provided with a second form of locking means.

Referring in greater particularity to FIG. 1, a conventional hair clipper is shown at 10, as comprises a conventional power-driven clipper which is normally provided with an electric motor of the vibrator type, not shown. The motor is energized through a pair of electrical conductors 11 connected to a suitable source of electrical energy. The clipper 10 includes a cutting head, generally indicated at 12 and adapted to effect a shearing action on the individual strands of hair of a barber patron.

The cutting head 12 includes a stationary comb plate 15 rigidly secured to the clipper, and more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5. A movable shearing plate 16 is slidably mounted on the upper surface of the stationary comb plate 15 and adapted for transverse reciprocation under the influence of the motor of the clipper. Both the stationary comb plate 15 and the movable shearing plate 16 are provided with respective transversely spaced, forwardly extended teeth 17 and 18. The teeth 17 are provided with respective forward ends 19, while the teeth 18 of the movable shear plate are similarly provided with respective forward ends 20. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5, the forward ends 19 and 20 of the teeth 17 and 18 are approximately transversely aligned to permit close, or fine, cutting of hair, such as that provided by the type of clipper head designated as 000 by manufacturers of conventional hair clippers. While the present invention may be used with hair clippers of coarser cutting characteristics, the automatic tapering provision of the adjustable shoe comb of the present invention may be more effectively utilized with a close cutting clipper, such as the 000.

By referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the teeth 17 of the stationary comb plate are progressively increased in vertical height, or depth, rearwardly of their forward ends 19 to provide a root portion 21 of a depth substantially equal to that of a central body 22 of the plate 15. Each of the teeth 17 is provided with respective lower surfaces 23 lying in a common plane and obtusely angularly related to a lower surface 24 of the plate 15. The stationary comb plate also provides laterally opposed marginal edges 25 and 26 and a rearward edge 27.

i A tapering shoe comb, as a specific embodiment of the invention, is shown in FIG. 7 at provides a central body portion 31 including a transversely extended web 52 afiording a forward edge 33 and a rearward support edge 34. The portion 31 also includes a pair of laterally opposed, longitudinally extended guide walls 35 and 36, which are transversely spaced at a distance sutiicient to receive therebetween the marginal edges 25 and 26 of the stationary comb plate 15. The guide wall 35 provides a reaction surface 37 adapted to contact one of the marginal edges 25 of the plate 15. The web 32 provides a plane surface 38, which is upwardly presented when the shoe comb is attached to the clipper 1t) and oriented in a normal position of operation. The plane surface 38 is adapted to engage the lower surface 24 of the plate 15, normally at a position adjacent to the rearward edge 27 thereof. The guide walls 35 and 36 are provided with respective inwardly directed flanges 39 and 40 adapted to overlie the marginal edges 25 and 26, respectively, of the comb plate 15, when the shoe comb is detachably connected to the clipper 10.

The tapering shoe comb 30 is also provided with a plurality of transversely spaced teeth forwardly extended from the web 32 and terminating in respective forward ends 46. The teeth 45 are gradually increased in height, or vertical depth, progressively rearwardly from the forward ends 46. The teeth 45 are also provided with respective upper surfaces 47 in coplanar relationship and obtusely angularly related to the plane surface 38 at an angle slightly less than the obtusely angular relationship between the lower surfaces 23 of the teeth 17 and the lower surface 24 of the stationary comb plate 15. The teeth 45 are also provided with a lower surface.

48 which extends rearwardly and terminates in a heel portion 49. An intermediate portion 5% of the lower surface 48 provides a rocking fulcrum when the shoe comb is employed as an automatic tapering device in the longitudinally adjusted position shown in FIG. 5.

A locking cam member'55is illustrated in FIG. 8 removed from the shoe comb 30. The cam member 55 provides a locking cylinder 56 having a plane release face 57 and a semicylindrical locking surface 58. The release face is spaced from the central axis of the cylinder 56 at a radial distance less than the locking surface 58. A pivot shaft 59 is axially extended from the cylinder 56 and is adapted to be received in a bore 69 provided in the guide wall 36. An operating lever 61 is radially extended from the cylinder 56 and is adapted to be moved in an arcuate slot 62 provided in the wall 36 to permit movement between 21 released position wherein the face 57 is in juxtaposition to but spaced from the marginal edge 26 of the comb plate 15 and a locked position wherein the locking surface 53 engages such marginal edge. The locking lever is shown in full lines in FIGS. 6 and 7 and in dashed lines in FIG. 2 as being in a released position, and is shown in a locked position in full lines in FIG. 2.

OPERATION The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. The initial mounting of the tapering shoe comb 3i) on the stationary comb plate 15 of the clipper cutting head 12 is facilitated by movement of the operating handle 61 to a released position, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The shearing plate 16 is then received between the guide walls 35 and 36 as the shoe comb 3i is moved longitudinally of the plate 15.

Upon movement of the comb 39 to a selected position longitudinally of the plate 15, such as the extreme forward position of adjustment shown in FIG. 3, the operating handle 61 is moved to the locked position of FIG. 2. This movement causes the locking surface 58 to engage the marginal edge 26 of the plate 15 and urge the opposite marginal edge 25 into frictional locking engagement with the reaction surface 37 of guide wall 35.

With the shoe comb 30 in such a forward position of adjustment, the vertical height, or depth, of the individual comb teeth 45 serve as a guide to determine the length of the hair to be cut by the shearing action of the shear plate 16 as it reciprocates relative to the stationary plate 15. As will be observed by those skilled in the art, the shoe comb 34) is readily adjusted longitudinally of the stationary plate 15 by appropriate releasing of the locking cam member by movement of the operating handle 61 to a released position and subsequent adjustment of the shoe comb 30 longitudinally of the plate 15. Accordingly, various lengths of desired haircuts can be quickly accommodated by the shoe comb of the present invention.

In the event that the clipper 10 is to be used in a conventional manner without the tapering shoe comb 30, appropriate release and subsequent locking of the locking cam member 55 permits movement of the comb 30 to the position shown in FIG. ,4 and provides dependable retention in that position. As shown therein, the forward ends 48 of the teeth 45 are positioned rearwardly of the forward ends 19 of the teeth 17, so that a close, or fine, cut can be made, such as that permitted with a conventional 000 hair clipper. In the position of adjustment shown'in FIG. 4, the tapering shoe comb is inoperative, does not interfere with normal use of the clipper, and yet is immediately ready for use in any position of adjustment intermediate that position shown in FIG. 4 and the extrerne forward position shown in FIG. 3.

The present invention also provides a means of automatically tapering hair, such as that made at the back of the neck of male patrons. To effect such automatic tapering, the shoe comb 30 is adjusted to the position illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the forward ends 46 of the teeth 45 are substantially transversely aligned with the forward ends 19 of the teeth 17. Accordingly, during normal upward movement of the clipper, the length of hair at the back of the neck can be cut from an extremely close cropping permitted by conventional 000 clippers to a longer length, merely by rocking the hair clipper rearwardly about the fulcrum 50 afforded by the lower surfaces 48 of the teeth 45. Accordingly, the invention not only permits selective positions of forward adjustment to the extreme shown in FIG. 3, so that various lengths of hair can be cut by the hair clipper 10, but also provides a position of automatic taper as shown in FIG. 5. Such a position of adjustment insures professional results, even when used by a relatively inexperienced operator, such as a home barber.

SECOND FORM OF LOCKING MEANS FIG. 9 illustrates the tapering shoe comb 30 provided with a second form of locking means incorporating a spring-type lock member resiliently urged into locking engagement with the rearward edge 27 of the stationary plate 15. As shown, the lock member 70 pulls the flanges 39 and 40 of the guide walls 35 and 36, respectively, against the upper surface of the comb plate 15 adjacent to the corresponding marginal edges 25 and 26 of the comb plate. This, in combination with the engagement of the upper surface 47 of the teeth 45 with the lower surface 23 of the teeth 17, precludes any rearward longitudinal movement of the shoe comb 30 in a direction from right to left, as viewed in FIG. 9, relative to the stationary comb plate 15. However, the shoe comb of FIG. 9 may be rearwardly rocked by the application of a force against the heel portion 49 sufficient to overcome the force of the lock member '70 to dispose the shoe comb in a position substantially identical to the position of the shoe comb in FIG. 4. Such rocking movement is permitted by movement of the forward ends of the flanges 39 and 40 into the recess in the upper surface of the stationary comb plate 15. Ordinarily, this rocking movement is effectively resisted by the lock member 70 and the normal operating forces directed against the forward ends of the lower surfaces 48 of the teeth 45. The lock member 70 is constructed of a resilient material, such as spring steel, and formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extended corrugations 71 thereby being adapted resiliently to receive the rearward edge 27 and to maintain the shoe comb 30 in a selected position of adjustment longitudinally of the plate 15. The lock member 70 provides an upwardly presented surface 72 adapted to engage the rearward edge 27 and is secured to the web 3'1 by means of a plurality of small retaining screws, one of which is illustrated at 73. In such a construction, the lock member 70 provides the upwardly presented surface 72 in biased engagement with the rearward edge 27 of plate 15.

Adjustment of the shoe comb 30 when provided with the second form of locking means is substantially identical to that permitted with the form of locking means shown in FIGS. 2, 6, 7, and 8. Accordingly, a hair clipper used in combination with the tapering shoe comb of the present invention affords a great versatility of use for the hair clipper, and permits selective adjustment of the shoe comb longitudinally of the stationary comb plate 15. By such selective adjustment the shoe comb accommodates any desired length of hair, as well as an extreme rearward position of adjustment, wherein the shoe comb may be retained on the clipper without interfering with normal use. As in the first form of locking means, the second form illustrated in FIG. 9 also affords a position of adjustment, such as that shown in FIG. 5, providing automatic tapering during use by rocking the clipper rearwardly about the fulcrum 50 as the clipper is moved upwardly over the back of the neck.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in which is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tapering shoe comb adapted for detachable connection to a stationary comb plate of a hair clipper which has opposed marginal edges comprising a body member having laterally opposed guide walls transversely spaced to accommodate said comb plate therebetween, said guide walls providing inwardly directed flanges disposed in overlying relation to said comb plate to support the body member thereon in longitudinally slidable relation; and locking means carried by the body member adapted to engage the comb plate for detachable connection of the shoe comb thereto in selective positions of adjustment longitudinally thereof with the body member disposed in supporting engagement with the comb plate, said locking means having a semicylindrical cam member pivotally mounted in one of said guide walls and adapted for movement between a released position spaced from one of said marginal edges and a locked position in engagement with said one marginal edge and urging the other of said guide walls into engagement with the other of said marginal edges of said stationary comb plate.

2. A tapering shoe comb adapted for detachable connection to a stationary comb plate of a hair clipper which has opposed marginal edges and a rearwardly disposed edge comprising a body member having laterally opposed guide walls transversely spaced to accommodate said comb plate therebetween, said guide walls providing inwardly directed flanges disposed in overlying relation to said comb plate to support the body member thereon in longitudinally slidable relation; and locking means carried by the body member adapted to engage the comb plate for detachable connection of the shoe comb thereto in selective positions of adjustment longitudinally thereof with the body member disposed in supporting engagement with the comb plate, said locking means having a resilient element secured to said body member in a position of engagement with said rearwardly disposed edge of the comb plate and exerting a locking force thereagainst to maintain the shoe comb in a selected position of adjustment longitudinally of said stationary comb plate.

3. In combination with a hair clipper having a stationary comb plate provided with a plurality of forwardly extended transversely spaced teeth, laterally opposed marginal edges, and a rearward edge, a tapering shoe comb adapted for detachable connection to said plate in selective positions of adjustment longitudinally thereof comprising a body member including a transversely extended web affording a surface of support and adapted to engage said stationary comb plate and a pair of laterally opposed longitudinally extended guide walls transversely spaced at a distance to receive therebetween the marginal edges of said plates, said guide walls providing inwardly directed integral retaining flanges individually disposed in overlying relation to their corresponding marginal edges of the plate dependently to support said shoe comb thereon in longitudinally slidable relation; a plurality of transversely spaced teeth forwardly extended from said body member, the teeth having respective upper surfaces lying in a common plane and adapted to engage and support said comb plate adjacent its respective teeth; and locking means carried by said body member and adapted to engage said stationary comb plate and maintain the shoe comb in a selected position of adjustment having a semicylindrical cam member pivotally mounted in one of said guide walls and adapted for movement between a released position spaced from one of said marginal edges and a locked position in engagement with said one marginal edge and urging the other of said guide walls into engagement with the other of said marginal edges of said stationary comb plate.

4. In combination with a hair clipper having a stationary comb plate provided with a plurality of forwardly extended transversely spaced teeth, laterally opposed marginal edges, and a rearward edge, a tapering shoe comb adapted for detachable connection to said plate in selective positions of adjustment longitudinally thereof comprising a transversely extended Web affording an upwardly presented plane surface extended between a forward edge and a rearward support edge; a pair of laterally opposed longitudinally extended guide walls transversely spaced at a distance to receive therebetween the marginal edges of said stationary plate; a plurality of transversely spaced teeth forwardly extended from said web, the teeth having respective upper surfaces lying in a common plane obtusely angularly related to .said plane surface of said web; and a semi-cylindrical locking member pivotally mounted in one of said guide walls and having a semicylindrical locking surface, a plane release face disposed at a lesser radial distance than the semi-cylindrical locking surface, and an operating handle radially extending from said locking face and adapted to be moved between 2. released position wherein said release face is disposed in juxtaposition to one of said marginal edges and a locked position wherein said locking surface is in engagement with said one marginal edge.

5. In combination with a hair clipper having a stationary comb plate provided with a plurality of forwardly extended transversely spaced teeth, laterally opposed marginal edges, and a rearward edge, a tapering shoe comb adapted for detachable connection to said plate in selective positions of adjustment longitudinally thereof comprising a transversely extended web affording an upwardly presented plane surface extended between a forward edge and a rearward support edge; a pair of laterally opposed longitudinally extended guide walls tansversely spaced at a distance to receive therebetween the marginal edges of said stationary plate, each of said guide walls having an inwardly directed retaining flange elevationally spaced above said web at a distance sufiicient to accommodate said comb plate; a plurality of transversely spaced teeth forwardly extended from said Web, the teeth having respective upper surfaces lying in a common plane obtusely angularly related to the upper plane surface of said web, said shoe comb teeth having respective forward ends and being of a graduated increasing vertical height rearwardly of said forward ends and providing respective lower surfaces lying in a common plane and affording rocking fulcrum intermediate the forward ends and said rearward support edge, said transversely spaced teeth being in longitudinal alignment with predetermined individual teeth of said stationary comb plate; and a semi-cylindrical locking member pivotally mounted in one of said guide walls and having a semi-cylindrical locking surface, a plane re lease face disposed at a lesser radial distance than the semicylindrical locking surface, and an operating handle radially extended from said locking face and adapted to be moved between a released position wherein said release face is disposed in juxtaposition to one of said marginal edges and a locked position wherein said locking surface is in engagement wtih said one marginal edge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 481,977 9/1892 Smith 30-201 1,546,912 7/1925 Beauchamp 30-200 1,745,997 2/1930 Kocourek et al 30201 2,916,820 12/1959 Clark 30201 3,041,726 7/1962 Hitson 30201 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Examiner.

J. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TAPERING SHOE COMB ADAPTED FOR DETACHABLE CONNECTION TO A STATIONARY COMB PLATE OF A HAIR CLIPPER WHICH HAS OPPOSED MARGINAL EDGES COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER HAVING LATERALLY OPPOSED GUIDE WALLS TRANSVERELY SPACED TO ACCOMMODATE SAID COMB PLATE THEREBETWEEN, SAID GUIDE WALLS PROVIDING INWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGES DISPOSED IN OVERLYING RELATION TO SAID COMB PLATE TO SUPPORT THE BODY MEMBER THEREON IN LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE RELATION; AND LOCKING MEANS CARRIED BY THE BODY MEMBER ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE COMB PLATE FOR DETACHABLE CONNECTION OF THE SHOE COMB THERETO IN SELECTIVE POSITIONS OF ADJUSTMENT LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF WITH THE BODY MEMBER DISPOSED 